Christmas starts early for voluntary groups after We Love Lichfield awards

Event included 500th WLL award

CHRISTMAS has started earlier for local voluntary groups thanks to We Love Lichfield.

At its annual Christmas giveaway on Friday, December 5, We Love Lichfield, part of the Community Foundation, awarded funding to local good causes taking its 2025 total to £40,000 across 40 voluntary groups.

We Love Lichfield also reached its own milestone during the event when it gave its 500th award since it started a decade ago.
 
At The George Hotel, community groups from across the district gathered to receive their awards.

Children from Lichfield Cathedral School’s Junior choir sang Christmas carols to get everyone in the festive mood before multiple businesses donated to We Love Lichfield including Arthur Price and Richard Winterton Auctioneers.

The children from Lichfield Cathedral School also made a donation of £445 raised during the term by organising raffles and other fund-raisers.

And Lichfield Live/The Lichfield & Burntwood Independent received the We Love Lichfield 2025 Community Champion Award for their work throughout the community during the last year.

Finally, Sebbie Hall also spoke with his mum Ashleigh about the importance of kindness especially at this time of year.
 
Since it started over a decade ago, We Love Lichfield has given away £462,000 in 500 awards to 237 recipients.
 
We Love Lichfield is one of the Community Foundation’s place-based funds.

It awards funding to a wide range of projects operating across the district of Lichfield.

The fund considers applications from local groups in need twice a year.

It raises money and then the returns are given away. Companies and individuals make up the bulk of the donors to the fund, either through direct donations, or by fundraising.

All the money raised is invested through an endowment fund in line with charity commission guidelines.

The financial return from the fund is then distributed as small grants across the area.

The beauty of this model is that it will provide a source of sustainable funding that can be used for grants long into the future. It’s almost like a pension scheme set up to support community and voluntary groups across Lichfield.

Individuals and businesses can raise money for We Love Lichfield or donate via Enthuse.

Reporting on 2025, We Love Lichfield patron Simon Price said: "It’s been a tough year for many so we are delighted to continue to make a difference across the district.

"We’d also like to thank the businesses and organisations who support us.

"This includes Richard Winterton Auctioneers, David Lloyd Lichfield, Michael’s Menswear, Hutchings Civil Engineering, Lichfield District Council, Lichfield West Midlands Traded Services, Robert Yardley Photography Straightforward Agency, Townhouse Communications, Shire House and Access Bookings, and Katie Clayton Marketing."

Simon also spoke about those businesses who have really embraced fund-raising including Laura and Rich Evans from Cathedral Hearing, who this year climbed Snowdon to raise funds for We Love Lichfield.

The We Love Lichfield Community Champion 2025 was awarded to Lichfield Live and The Lichfield & Burntwood Independent for their tireless hours communicating news and events across the District, all on a voluntary basis.

Joanne Grange from Lichfield Community Media, publishers of Lichfield Live and The Lichfield & Burntwood Independent, received the award and said: "I am delighted to accept this award on behalf of the team.

"We are a group of volunteers who believe it’s important to keep people across the district informed.

"Started 20 years ago by Ross Hawkes, the Lichfield Blog as it was called back then, is now the amazing Lichfield Live site.

"And our newspaper, The Lichfield & Burntwood Independent, is going from strength to strength with plans to increase circulation next year.

"We are passionate about news – good and bad – and about  supporting local organisations and we regularly showcase the amazing work We Love Lichfield does.

"It’s heartwarming to be recognised by them and it gives us a boost to continue with the work we do."
 
Simon Price added: "We Love Lichfield wouldn’t exist if it didn’t have some amazing supporters.

"I’d like to thank my fellow panel advisors who work in their own time throughout the year.

"To the amazing businesses who support including The George Hotel for allowing us to use their hotel for our grant giveaways.

"Finally thanks to Lichfield District Council for their support and for entrusting We Love Lichfield in assisting them in their grant and Community Lottery funds.

"To have the council as a partner gives us a boost to strive even harder to make a difference across our district."

Pictured top of page, Richard Winterton presented patron Simon Price with a donation of £1,000 for We Love Lichfield at the 2025 Christmas giveaway.